Curiosity
by Dannyblue
Summary: A young couple has an unbelievable experience.
1. Default Chapter

TITLE: Curiosity (1/?)  
  
AUTHOR: Dannyblue  
  
EMAIL: dannyblue2@yahoo.com  
  
FEEDBACK: Yes, please.  
  
ARCHIVE/DISTRIBUTION: Anywhere, just drop me a note so I'll know where.  
  
SUMMARY: A young couple sees something they can't quite believe.  
  
SPOILERS: None really. Story takes place between "Dad" and "Waiting In the Wings".  
  
PAIRING: A/C.  
  
RATING: PG.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone or anything associated with "Angel" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".  
  
  
  
"You can't be serious!" Laura Granger gasped. She said it like he'd committed an unspeakable crime. Somewhere up there with dog kicking. "You *liked* that piece of dreck?"  
  
"Um, yeah," Grant Granger admitted. Stopping the car at the red light, he turned to grin at his wife. "I thought it was pretty good."  
  
"I don't believe it." Laura folded her arms and leaned back in her seat. "And I keep telling my mother I married a man with taste. Hmmph!"  
  
When the light turned green, Grant drove out into the intersection. "Oh, come on, Laurie. You have to admit it was entertaining."  
  
"No, I don't." His wife shook her head from side to side. "I love you so much, I sometimes forget you have the *guy* gene."  
  
Grant just smiled. She'd hit him with that one before. Like when he chose a championship basketball game over an all night Monster-Thon given by a fellow horror buff.  
  
"The vampires in that movie could've been anything," Laura continued, eyes narrowed in anger. "Zombies. Or aliens. Or a motorcycle gang. I mean, all they did was look scary and get shot. And get their asses karate chopped to hell and back. *Any* halfway decent villain could've done that!"  
  
"Yes, dear," Grant said.  
  
"But vampires are *hot*." She spit the word out, like it was an obscenity. "And always popular. So the producers just threw them in to attract an audience!"  
  
"The bastards."  
  
"They didn't even bother to pay attention to the lore! I mean, if crosses don't bother them, if they can swim in holy water and walk around in broad daylight, are they even vampires? No, dammit!"  
  
"You're absolutely right," Grant agreed. Then, he let his lips form into a smirk. "I still liked it."  
  
"Arrrg!" Laura exclaimed, throwing up her hands.  
  
"As an action flick," Grant continued. "Not a vampire movie."  
  
As his words sank in, Laura graced him with a beatific smile. "That's my guy," she said. All forgiven, she reached over to rub his shoulder. "You had me worried for a second."  
  
Their minor disagreement put to rest, the Grangers continued to discuss BLOOD WISH as they drove through the LA night.  
  
((I'm a lucky guy,)) Grant thought, as he glanced over at his wife. Not only had he married his best friend, he'd married his best friend who was obsessed with the same thing he was obsessed with.  
  
Vampires.  
  
Hell, they met in a club for horror movie fans. Not only were they the biggest vamp-philes in the club, they both preferred NESPHERATU over DRACULA.  
  
Was it any wonder they'd become best buds?  
  
"Just don't get any ideas," Laura warned. "You aren't putting a lot of well- choreographed fight scenes in my book."  
  
"*Our* book," he reminded her.  
  
"*Our* book," Laura agreed, just a hint of wistfulness in her voice.  
  
It was a dream they'd shared since they were juniors in high school. They both had great jobs that paid excellent money. But they'd quit in a heartbeat to collaborate on a vampire novel.  
  
Well, a vampire novel good enough to make Anne Rice sit up and take notice.  
  
They just needed an idea.  
  
"Not even one little, itty bitty fight scene?" Grant asked. He let himself pout just a little.  
  
Laura sighed. "Okay, Granger. I guess we can…"  
  
But she stopped mid-sentence. And, if she'd seen what he'd just seen, Grant couldn't blame her.  
  
Up ahead, a man seemed to just…*appear*. Out of nowhere. To glide out of the shadows.  
  
Dressed all in black, the stranger could've been a shadow himself.  
  
Hands buried in the pockets of a long, black duster, he walked down the sidewalk with the smooth grace of a jungle cat.  
  
"Whoa," Laura muttered. "That was…weird."  
  
Beside her, Grant nodded.  
  
As the car cruised down the street, ever closer to the stranger, husband and wife found it difficult to take their eyes off of him. There was something mesmerizing about him. Something dark and…magnetic.  
  
The stranger was looking down at the sidewalk, like he had no interest in the world around him. But, when the glare of headlights fell on him, he glanced up.  
  
And Laura gasped.  
  
Grant couldn't make a sound. Not while he looked at the stranger's intensely drawn face. Predatory eyes that seemed to cut through the darkness.  
  
It was over in a second. The man looked away. The car cruised past him.  
  
"That face," Laura muttered. "I've seen that face before. I know it."  
  
Grant barely heard her. Instead, foot easing off the gas pedal, he turned to watch as the stranger continued down the street.  
  
The stranger turned towards an old hotel. One Grant thought was abandoned. But he could see signs that the fading, but still dignified building was now occupied.  
  
"Oh, my God!" Laura exclaimed.  
  
Grant was so startled by her outburst, the car swerved a little. "What?" he snapped. "What is it?"  
  
Laura's eyes were wide. With a combination of disbelief…and fear. "I know where I've seen that face!"  
  
____________________  
  
"This is ridiculous," Grant said as he unlocked the door to their apartment. "You know that, right?"  
  
"Yep." Laura nodded. Feeling a little spooked by the darkness that greeted them, she reached inside and hit the light switch. "I totally agree with you."  
  
Laura made a beeline for the bookcase. Their own personal vampire library. It was crammed with vampire novels in hardback *and* paperback. Encyclopedias of vampire myths and lore. Books about vampires on stage, screen, and television.  
  
Laura was looking for one volume in particular. A dusty, leather-bound tome they bought from a man who said it was old when *he* bought it 50 years earlier.  
  
She and Grant had been both impressed and amused by the book. The author didn't write about vampires like they were myths. More like they were…historical figures or something.  
  
Remembering that grim, pale face, the intense eyes, Laura didn't feel amused anymore.  
  
"It has to be a coincidence," Grant insisted. He closed and locked the front door. "Or the fertile imagination I love so much has gone into overdrive."  
  
"Of course I imagined it," Laura whole-heartedly agreed. She dropped the book on the dining room table. Opening it, she began to flip through the stiff, aged pages. "I mean, even if I *didn't* imagine it, everyone has a double, right? Who says it has to be in the same century?"  
  
Finally, she came to the page she wanted. A page dominated by a picture drawn with such detail, it could've been a photograph.  
  
A shiver raced down her back. Her heart started to pound in her chest.  
  
"It's him," she gasped. Without realizing she even meant to do it, she sat down. Hard enough to make her teeth snap together. "His hair is shorter now, but it's him."  
  
"Of course, it *can't* be," Grant reminded her. "Sure, it looks like him. But, since this picture was drawn in the 19th century, and is probably the figment of the artist's imagination, it can't really *be* him."  
  
Laura nodded at her husband's reasoning. She knew he was right. Of course he was.  
  
But goose bumps continued to do a happy dance up and down her arms.  
  
Leaning forward, Grant read the name under the picture. "Angelus?"  
  
"The demon with the face of an angel," Laura whispered. When she first read the book, that phrase had grabbed her attention. It was so dark, but poetic at the same time.  
  
"Yeah, I remember," Grant said. He sat down next to her. "The writer made him sound like de Sade to the nth degree." Grant frowned. "I wish I could write stuff like that."  
  
"Yeah," Laura said. But she couldn't take her eyes off of the picture.  
  
She'd never quite bought those movies where vampires were just handsomely evil gentlemen with funny teeth. Every time some lovely damsel in distress looked deep into Christopher Lee's eyes and fell under his seductive spell, Laura rolled her own eyes in disgust. Sorry, but she didn't think someone who bit you on the neck and called it dinner was sexy.  
  
But, if a vampire could look like *this* guy…  
  
Which it couldn't. Vampires being not real and all.  
  
Laura's throat was so dry, she found it hard to swallow. She knew she was overreacting to something that didn't *mean* anything. But she figured she had every right. After all, she'd never traveled this far into the Twilight Zone before.  
  
Grant reach over to massage her shoulder. "It's not him," he said yet for the hundredth. "But it *is* pretty interesting." And he tilted his head in that thoughtful way that said he had an idea.  
  
"What's interesting?" Laura asked, filled with sudden anticipation. Grant always had the best ideas. It was one of the things that attracted her to him in the first place.  
  
"What if this was a movie?" her husband asked. "There's a vampire walking around, looking pretty human, you know. But the hero has spotted him, and suspects what he really is."  
  
Laura felt a slow smile forming. Her fear and disbelief were joined by another emotion.  
  
Curiosity.  
  
"If this was a movie," Laura said, "I'd be desperate to see what the hero did next."  
  
  
  
(TO BE CONTINUED) 


	2. 

TITLE: Curiosity (2/?)  
  
AUTHOR: Dannyblue  
  
EMAIL: dannyblue2@yahoo.com  
  
FEEDBACK: Yes, please.  
  
ARCHIVE/DISTRIBUTION: Anywhere, just drop me a note so I'll know where.  
  
SUMMARY: A young couple sees something they can't quite believe.  
  
SPOILERS: None really. Story takes place between "Dad" and "Waiting In the Wings".  
  
PAIRING: Hints of A/C.  
  
RATING: PG.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone or anything associated with "Angel" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".  
  
  
  
"This sounded like a much better idea last night," Grant muttered. "And this morning." He took a deep breath. "I guess I'm more desperate for a book idea than I thought."  
  
"Listen to this," Laura said. She sat slumped in the passenger seat, lost in the book that lay open on her lap. "Angelus murdered a baker, but left the wife alive. He stripped them both and tied them together, face-to-face. Then, he locked them in the pantry. Luckily, the woman was found before she could die of starvation or thirst. But, after staring into the eyes of her husband's corpse for 40 straight hours, her mind snapped."  
  
"Geez." Grant whistled softly. If the story had been true, he would have been appalled. And a little worried about tonight's featured activity. But, since it was pure fiction, the writer in him was impressed.  
  
Trying not to lose sight of the classic black convertible several cars ahead of them, Grant changed lanes. They'd been following the GTX since it left the old hotel—the Hyperion—with the dark stranger behind the wheel.  
  
"And there's another one," Laura continued. "Angelus stalked this girl for months. He murdered her entire family. Finally, she joined a convent, where she probably thought she'd be safe. You know. Vampire. Holy place." Laura shook her head. "On the day she took her vows, Angelus came. He killed every nun in the place, and then 'turned' the girl. According to the story, she went insane and became a pretty notorious vampire herself." She started to page through the book. "I think she's in here somewhere."  
  
When you took all of the stories in the book into account, Grant thought, following this guy wasn't the greatest of all ideas. But, since there was no way the stranger could be this Angelus person, what was the harm? Right?  
  
Grant took his right hand off of the steering wheel, and rubbed his suddenly chilled left arm.  
  
Finally, the convertible parallel parked. It was just dumb luck that there was another space several cars ahead.  
  
Killing the engine, Grant turned to Laura.  
  
"This is crazy, you know," he said.  
  
"I know," Laura said.  
  
And the two grinned at each other.  
  
If there was one thing they liked almost as much as vampires, it was detective stories. And, at the moment, it felt like they were combining the two things they loved.  
  
"When we're finished spying on this poor guy, who has no idea we've cast him as some sadistic, fictional character," Grant began, "let's grab a pizza at Gino's."  
  
"I'm in," Laura said.  
  
The Granger's waited for the stranger to walk by. Then, they got out of their car.  
  
The street they were on was pretty busy. Packed with pedestrians out enjoying the mild weather. The scorchingly hot day had mellowed into a pleasantly warm night.  
  
It was easy for Grant and Laura to get lost in the throng. To keep the stranger in sight. Follow him without *seeming* to follow him.  
  
The writer in Grant came to life. Just a hypothetical, but what if this guy really *was* Angelus? Just think of *that*! Here he was, walking through a crowd of innocent, vulnerable people. None of them with the first clue what he was…or what kind of danger they were in. That walking next to them was a creature whose cruelty was legendary even among other vampires.  
  
((Wow!)) Grant thought. ((It would make a great book.))  
  
Pretty soon, the stranger approached a sidewalk café.  
  
A woman sat alone at one of the outer tables. Since her back was to them, all Grant saw was sleek, chin-length hair.  
  
The stranger approached her. And the way he moved, with a kind of smooth, natural stealth, Grant doubted the woman had any idea he was there.  
  
And, suddenly, Grant felt this strange sensation in the pit of his stomach. Like he was watching a predator sneaking up on its prey.  
  
It was a ridiculous notion, born from listening to Laura relate some of Angelus's more gruesome exploits. But it was a feeling he couldn't shake.  
  
The man reached out and touched the woman on the back.  
  
With a startled shriek, she spun around.  
  
"Geez, Angel!" the young woman exclaimed. "You scared me!"  
  
Laura whipped her head around to stare at Grant. "Angel?" she whispered, eyes twice their normal size.  
  
All of the hairs on Grant's neck stood on end. He finally knew what it felt like to have his blood go cold.  
  
Angelus?  
  
Angel?  
  
Another coincidence?  
  
____________________  
  
Laura stopped in her tracks, causing some guy to bump into her. Laura didn't feel the collision, or hear his muttered apology.  
  
Angel?  
  
Last night, once she got over the shock of seeing a guy who looked exactly like a "fictional character" in a dusty old book, Laura had laughed at herself for freaking out over nothing. As she and Grant came up with the wild—but fun—idea of tailing the guy for a night, just to satisfy their curiosity, her fear vanished.  
  
Well, it was back.  
  
Boy, was it back!  
  
A fictional vampire named Angelus, in a book written and illustrated over a hundred years ago.  
  
A real guy, in 21st century LA, who looked like said fictional vampire and was named Angel.  
  
The coincidence gods must be working overtime. This one was just too weird to shrug off.  
  
As Laura's imagination replayed every story she'd read in that book, she took a step back.  
  
"Give a girl a heart attack, why don't ya," the woman said, frowning at her companion.  
  
The man—Angel—sat down across from her. "Sorry," he said…with the air of someone who had apologized for the same thing many times before.  
  
Suddenly aware that her husband was tugging on her arm, Laura allowed herself to be pulled forward. It seemed they had three choices. They could stand there and gawk, being as conspicuous as possible. They could walk nonchalantly past the café, and the man who had bought them here in the first place. Or…  
  
The Grangers sat at a table near the couple's.  
  
"Here," Grant whispered. He handed Laura a menu. "And stop staring."  
  
Realizing she hadn't taken her eyes of the couple since they arrived—how she got to the table without walking into, or tripping *over* anything was anyone's guess—she directed her gaze at the menu. But continued to watch out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"You're late, you know," the woman said. She looked mildly annoyed. But there was a slight smile on her beautiful face.  
  
"Couldn't help it, Cordelia. Something came up."  
  
"Literally, as in 'digging its way out of the moldy earth'?" She seemed a little worried by this prospect. "Or figuratively?"  
  
"Figuratively."  
  
"Oh." Her slight smile morphed into a smirk. "Let me guess. Connor started crying, and you couldn't bare to leave the hotel until he settled down."  
  
"Something like that," Angel reluctantly admitted. "Every time a took a step towards the door, I felt…"  
  
"Guilty?" The woman—Cordelia—nodded her understanding. "I've been there. Just this afternoon, as a matter of fact. But you could've called me on my cell 'phone to tell me you were running behind."  
  
"Cell 'phone?" the man said blankly. Then, a look of chagrin settled over his pale face. "I guess I forgot about that. You know. That y-you'd…have one with you."  
  
The young woman rolled her eyes. "What is it with you and cell 'phones? Is there some reason you, one, like to pretend they don't exist and, two, refuse to learn how to use them?"  
  
"Well," Angel said with a dry chuckle, "they weren't all that common where I grew up."  
  
"Ha, ha." Cordelia leaned across the table and clasped her hands in a pleading gesture. She lowered her voice, and Laura had to strain to hear the words. "Angel, you've been around for over 270 years. You were there at the *dawn* of the electronic age. It's past time you woke up and smelled the technology."  
  
Laura couldn't suppress an audible gasp. Her heart did this thing where it slammed against the wall of her chest, then started to thump around like a basketball on a cement court. Her throat locked, so she couldn't swallow if her life depended on it.  
  
Across from her, Grant's eyes were twice there normal size. Laura could see the whites all around the irises. His Adam's apple bobbed madly; up, down, up, down. And his knuckles were white where they clutched the menu he was pretending to read.  
  
((Damn!)) Laura thought. ((He's too afraid for this not to be real. I was kind of hoping he was pulling some elaborate practical joke on the old lady.))  
  
While one part of her brain thought these very rational thoughts, another part of her brain screamed.  
  
((Vampires are real! They're not just make-believe after all. And the most vicious, bloodthirsty, sadistic of them all is sitting at the next table!  
  
((Talking about cell 'phones.))  
  
  
  
(TO BE CONTINUED) 


	3. 

TITLE: Curiosity (3/?)  
  
AUTHOR: Dannyblue  
  
EMAIL: dannyblue2@yahoo.com  
  
FEEDBACK: Yes, please.  
  
ARCHIVE/DISTRIBUTION: Anywhere, just drop me a note so I'll know where.  
  
SUMMARY: A young couple sees something they can't quite believe.  
  
SPOILERS: None really. Story takes place between "Dad" and "Waiting In the Wings".  
  
PAIRING: Hints of A/C.  
  
RATING: PG.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone or anything associated with "Angel" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".  
  
  
  
  
  
Despite his love of horror movies in general, and vampires in particular, Grant Granger was a pretty rational-minded guy. He had no trouble separating fact from fiction, the possible from the impossible.  
  
And his rational mind was telling him that his suspicions, which grew stronger with every second, were ridiculous. That the guy at the next table, who looked completely normal—if a little sun-deprived—was *not* the man in the book Grant now wished they'd never bought.  
  
But all of the pieces kept falling into place. And his rational mind had to work overtime to hold onto the 'it's all a coincidence' theory.  
  
Laura, it seemed, was having the same problem. Her eyes were darted around the outdoor café, unable to settle on one spot. The way they always did when she was mad, or nervous, or…scared, and didn't know what to do about it.  
  
"Hello. How can I help you?"  
  
The sound of the waitress's voice made both Grangers jump in their seats. Laura even shrieked just a bit.  
  
"Oh, God," Laura gasped. She pressed her hand to her heart.  
  
Realizing the couple at the next table was now looking in their direction, Grant tried to play it cool.  
  
"Um, we're…" He had to pause for a second to clear his throat. "We're not ready to order yet." There. He'd sounded both cool *and* collected.  
  
"Okay," the waitress said. "Just let me know when you're ready." Then, she headed to the next table. "Hello. How can I help you?"  
  
As Cordelia placed her order, Grant leaned towards his wife. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Oh, I'm peachy," Laura snapped. Another sign that she was upset. "Except for the whole 'freaking out' thing."  
  
"Yeah." Grant agreed. He knew what she meant. "Do you want to leave?"  
  
For a second, Grant thought she would say 'yes'. Then, looking almost frustrated, she shook her head. "We *can't*! You know?"  
  
Grant nodded. It was yet another thing they had in common. They just couldn't leave a puzzle alone until it was solved.  
  
Before they could say anything else, the waitress left the nearby table.  
  
"Are you sure salad is enough?" Angel asked his companion. "I mean, it's not like you need to lose, you know, um, weight. Or anything."  
  
"I ordered a salad because we're running behind, and don't have time for anything else." She gave him a meaningful look, as if to remind him who was to blame. Then, her expression turned hopeful. "Unless you want to forget about going to the…"  
  
"No!" Angel shook his head vehemently. "After months of wheedling, I finally got you to cave. There's no *way* you're backing out now."  
  
"Fine," Cordelia sighed. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this. What the hell *is* [I]Soylent Green[/I] anyway?"  
  
Angel looked a tad insulted. "It's a classic."  
  
"Not if *I've* never heard of it, it's not."  
  
"Yes, it is. Besides, Charlton Heston stars."  
  
"What *is* this thing you've got for Charlton Heston anyway? Not to mention cheesy sci-fi movies."  
  
Angel's face went blank with disbelief. The picture of injured pride, his spine stiffened. "There is nothing *cheesy* about [I]Soylent Green[/I]. *Or* [I]The Omega Man[/I]. *Or* [I]Planet of the Apes[/I]. All of which I know you'd like if you just…gave 'em a chance."  
  
"Whatever you say?" Cordelia didn't try to hide an amused smirk. "We just need to get you out of the 1970's. You won't *believe* how much special effects have improved since then."  
  
"Funny, Cordy. Really funny."  
  
Cordelia giggled. "I know."  
  
As the two continued to chat, Grant studied Angel.  
  
This was the creature who had done things so horrible, so sickeningly creative, that they were almost hard to imagine?  
  
This was the bloodthirsty beast that was *feared* by his fellow bloodthirsty beasts?  
  
*This* guy, who seemed ready to defend the works of Charlton Heston with his last breath?  
  
If so, they didn't make sadistic creatures of the night quite the way they used to.  
  
____________________  
  
Laura watched enviously as Grant convinced himself there was nothing all that weird going on here.  
  
He took a long, deep breath. Sat straighter in his chair. He shrugged a little, shrugging off his uneasiness. He even smiled, as if suddenly amused that he'd believed, for even a second, what they had both started to believe.  
  
Laura wished she had his talent. But she couldn't get past the whole 270 years thing.  
  
The waitress delivered the salads to the next table. Then, she turned to give the Grangers a questioning glance.  
  
"Not yet," Grant said.  
  
The waitress wasn't happy with that. With an audible sniff, she headed for the kitchen.  
  
"By the way, how was your audition?" Angel asked. Grant noticed he made no move to pick up his fork.  
  
"Okay, I think," Cordelia sighed. She dribbled dressing over her salad. "I still can't believe I got an audition for a decent play out of that commercial. The worst experience of my *life*."  
  
"I wouldn't say that. I mean, it…had its moments." And he got this strangely wistful look on his face.  
  
"Oh, please! The only thing good about that commercial is the residual checks." Grinning, she leaned across the table. "But guess what I heard. That director? You remember him? Well, he had a nervous breakdown or something! One minute, he's on the fast track. The next, he's resting peacefully in a"—she made finger quotes—'resort' upstate."  
  
"Really?" Angel said with wide-eyed innocence. "You don't say?"  
  
"Yeah. And, the thing is, nobody saw it coming. One day, he's a totally normal, well-adjusted jerk. The next, he's shaking like a junkie going cold turkey, and jumping at every loud noise or shadow."  
  
"Well, it happens. I mean, he was in a pretty high pressure business. Some people can't take the stress."  
  
"I guess." Cordy shrugged. "But, I have to say, that commercial came out great. Which lead to today's audition. For the part of a sex-starved bimbette. But, hey, at least the character has depth."  
  
"Um." Looking uncomfortable, Angel straightened in his seat. "Sex-starved?"  
  
"Yeah. And you could fit the entire wardrobe for the part in a brown paper bag. I mean, she spends the entire play half-dressed."  
  
"Oh. Really?" he said, his voice going up an octave. He cleared his throat. "What I m-mean is…" Somehow, Angel managed to look both embarrassed and interested. "When you say 'half dressed', what do you…"  
  
"And don't worry. I have it on good authority that I've improved a *lot* since the last play I was in. So, if I get the part, you won't have to try to come up with ways *not* to tell me I sucked."  
  
"Oh, come on, Cordy." Angel's eyes shifted away from hers. "I didn't…think you were…that bad."  
  
"Oh, really?" Cordelia gave him a skeptical look. "That's not what Angelus said."  
  
And Laura Granger fell out of her chair.  
  
It was inevitable, really. Captivated by the couple at the other table, she'd started to lean in their direction. She'd leaned so far, all that held her up was the force of her will.  
  
Then, she heard that name. Angelus.  
  
That was all it took for her to lose her concentration. Then, gravity took over. And…  
  
SPLAT!  
  
A little stunned by the fall, Laura sat motionless for one long moment. All around her, the diners at the café, and even a few passers by, froze. She could feel every eye in the place focus on her.  
  
Including those of Angel and Cordelia. *And* her husband.  
  
Too mortified to think of what she should do, she turned her panicked gaze towards Grant.  
  
He caught on quick.  
  
"Oh, honey!" he exclaimed as he jumped out of his chair. He knelt down beside her, his face the picture of husbandly concern. "Are you okay?"  
  
((What an actor,)) Laura thought with a measure of pride.  
  
"I'm fine," she said. And didn't have to pretend to be slightly dazed. "I don't know what happened."  
  
"It must have been the medicine."  
  
"The medicine?" Laura gave him a blank stare.  
  
"Yeah. The medicine you were taking for your cold. You said it made you dizzy. Remember?"  
  
"Oh. Yeah. Right." Trying to be helpful, Laura put her fist to her mouth and managed a few decent coughs.  
  
Grant helped her to her feet, and steered her to her chair.  
  
Face aflame, Laura watched gratefully as everyone turned their attention back to their meals.  
  
Re-taking his own seat, Grant raised one hand. "Um, waitress," he called.  
  
So they ordered a couple of salads—which, when they arrived, neither touched—and continued to eavesdrop.  
  
And, as Laura started to adjust to the whole, "There's an honest to God *vampire* sitting at the next table…I think!" thing, she noticed something. Angel was looking at Cordelia like…  
  
Well, like she used to catch Grant looking at *her* once upon a time. With longing. And doubt. And uncertainty. And a smile that never quite went away. That said he was just happy to be there with her.  
  
That was back when they were still just friends. Before Grant told her he love her as *more* than a friend.  
  
Laura frowned. Could a vampire—especially the one she'd spent all last night, and most of today reading about—fall in love?  
  
"Well, time to go," Cordelia said. "The movie's about to…"  
  
She never finished the sentence. Her eyes got this distant, far away look to them.  
  
"Uh oh," she gasped.  
  
"What?" Angel said, suddenly very alert. "What is it?"  
  
Cordelia pressed her hands to her temples. "A jewelry store on…Brenner Street? There's a girl hiding in an alley. From a big, ugly, leathery…*thing*."  
  
Looking suddenly grim—and as dangerous as the man in that picture—Angel nodded. He stood hastily tossed some bills on the table. "Let's go."  
  
In an instant, the two were gone, headed back towards the black convertible.  
  
For a long second, Laura and Grant didn't move. Just sat that, and stared at nothing in particular.  
  
Laura thought of saying something. There *was* a lot to talk about. But she couldn't seem to get that conversational ball to roll.  
  
Finally, she looked at Grant.  
  
After a moment, Grant's eyes met hers.  
  
"So," Laura began. And her voice only shook a little. "Do you know where Brenner Street is?"  
  
  
  
(TO BE CONTINUED) 


	4. The End

TITLE: Curiosity (4/4)  
  
AUTHOR: Dannyblue  
  
EMAIL: dannyblue2@yahoo.com  
  
FEEDBACK: Yes, please.  
  
ARCHIVE/DISTRIBUTION: Anywhere, just drop me a note so I'll know where.  
  
SUMMARY: A young couple sees something they can't quite believe.  
  
SPOILERS: None really. Story takes place between "Dad" and "Waiting In the Wings".  
  
PAIRING: Hints of A/C.  
  
RATING: PG.  
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anyone or anything associated with "Angel" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".  
  
  
  
"Let's look at the facts," Grant Granger said as he gave the car a little more gas. It had taken longer than he'd expected to remember where Brenner Street was. But he figured they were only 5 or 10 minutes behind Angel and Cordelia.  
  
"Facts," Laura said with a vigorous nod. "I like facts. Facts are good."  
  
"Okay." Grant took a deep breath. "Logic and reason say vampires aren't real. And all of the vampires in that book are fictional."  
  
"Absolutely." Laura clutched said book to her chest.  
  
"But, last night, we see a guy who looks like one of the vampires in the book. A vampire named Angelus."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And we follow the guy who, through some amazing fluke of chance, turns out to be named Angel."  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"Coincidence, right. But his date…Well, she doesn't come right out and *say* he's 270 years old."  
  
"But it was *definitely* implied," Laura said.  
  
"Exactly! Not only that, but she also mentioned the name Angelus."  
  
"Not a moment *I'll* ever forget." Still sore from her fall, she shifted in her seat.  
  
"So." Grant took another deep breath. "What does it all mean?"  
  
"Hmmmm," Laura murmured in agreement.  
  
For one long moment, a thoughtful silence filled the car. Then, sharing a look filled with wonder and awe, excitement and fear, they abandoned that little thing called maturity.  
  
"I can't believe it!" Laura squealed. And she bounced a little in her seat.  
  
"This is *unreal*!" Grant exclaimed. He shook his head from side to side. "I mean, am I dreaming or what?"  
  
Laura reached over and pinched his side. One of those good pinches, where you grab a hunk of skin between thumb and forefinger and gave it a twist.  
  
"Ow!" Grant yelped. "Wide awake, then."  
  
"Back at the café," Laura began, "I was freaking. I mean, who wouldn't freak? It's a freaky situation, right? Like finding out Jack the Ripper is sitting next to you on the bus, or something. And I'm still kind of freaking. You probably won't be able to get me out of bed tomorrow morning. Not without a little Prozac. But, right now, I'm more jazzed than scared." Finally, she ran out of air, and had to pause. "You know what I mean?"  
  
"Definitely," Grant said. The freaked part of him was a little nauseous. The jazzed part felt like it was about to overload on the adrenaline rush. "Which is probably why we're not thinking so clearly."  
  
"You mean the whole 'trailing a brutal killer' thing?" his wife asked. She frowned thoughtfully. "I don't know why, but I just didn't get the feeling he was evil. Don't you think that, knowing what we know, I'd be able to tell?"  
  
"Maybe," Grant said. Actually, he felt the same way. The guy didn't come off as evil.  
  
Dangerous? Sure.  
  
Evil? Not so much.  
  
"Besides, that Cordelia girl seemed to know him pretty well. Including the fact that he's a creature of the night. And *she* didn't seem scared of him at all."  
  
"Maybe because she's a vampire, too."  
  
"Oh!" Laura exclaimed, eyes wide with surprise. "I didn't think of that." Then, she shook her head. "But no. She said she was an actress. And, since the lore says vampires don't have reflections, I'm betting they don't show up on film, either."  
  
"Good point." Grant agreed.  
  
"Besides, if that Cordelia girl had a vision of someone in danger, and Angel is rushing off to save that person, he can't be evil, can he. I mean, one of the rules of being evil is that you don't run off to save people you've never met from…whatever."  
  
Grant considered this for a second. "So, what are you saying? That Angelus, once one of the baddest of the bad, had a change of heart and a change of name, and is now running around doing good?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Grant grinned. "Cool," he decided. His fingers itched to get to a typewriter. The story was almost writing itself.  
  
"I'm just glad he doesn't look like Gary Oldman." Laura shuddered. "I'll never understand why so many woman drooled over *that* man."  
  
"Well, he *did* bring a kind of dark, enigmatic sensuality to the part of Dracula. And those eyes…"  
  
Eyebrows peaking towards her hairline, Laura gave him an amused glance.  
  
Secure in his masculinity, Grant simply shrugged. "I'm just saying." Finally, he turned the car onto Brenner Street. "Keep an eye out for a jewelry store."  
  
"Okay."  
  
But, as it turned out, the jewelry store wasn't hard to find. Not with the black convertible sitting in front of it like an onyx beacon.  
  
Parking their car behind Angel's, Grant started to open the driver's-side door.  
  
"Wait!" Laura exclaimed. She grabbed his arm and gave him an anxious look. "What did Cordelia say mystery girl is hiding from? I think that part kind of got lost somewhere."  
  
Grant gave the question some thought. "A big, ugly, leathery…thing."  
  
And, considering they'd just found out vampires really *did* exist, the word 'thing' had all kinds of nasty implications.  
  
"Let's keep our distance, shall we," Laura suggested.  
  
"Good idea," her husband agreed.  
  
The Grangers left their car and walked towards the jewelry store.  
  
Suddenly, a young girl—about 16 or 17—came tearing out of the mouth of the alley. Eyes wide with panic, she didn't stop to notice Grant or Laura. In fact, she didn't stop. Her feet pounded against the pavement as she disappeared from sight.  
  
Grant and Laura gave each other a worried glance. Then, they cautiously approached the mouth of the alley. First, they heard the sounds. Grunts. Snarls.  
  
Then, they saw…everything.  
  
Gasping in horror, Laura clung to Grant's back.  
  
Eyes wide with disbelief—par for the course tonight—Grant stared at the…thing. And, since he couldn't begin to imagine what it could possibly be, *thing* was the best way to describe it.  
  
It *was* big. About 7 feet tall, with the bulk of a Mr. Universe contestant.  
  
It *was* ugly. Grant had to fight the instinct to close his eyes.  
  
And it *was* leathery. Covered with a layer of thick, gray skin that would've filled an elephant with envy.  
  
"What the hell *is* that…thing?" Laura demanded.  
  
Grant just shook his head.  
  
Angel aimed a kick at the creature's chest. But it caught his foot with little effort, and shoved the man away from itself.  
  
The vampire's head slammed into the brick wall, and he dropped like a stone to the cement.  
  
Eyes glowing a dull, kind of gray orange, the beast stalked towards him.  
  
"Angel!" Cordelia exclaimed. And she ran towards *it*.  
  
The thing heard her coming. It spun around, grabbed her by the arms. Lifted her up off of the ground, so that her feet kicked helplessly at the air.  
  
The thing snarled in her face, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.  
  
Grant shivered. The snarl looked too much like a smile—was filled with too much intelligence—for comfort.  
  
With a growl of his own, Angel launched himself at the creature's back.  
  
As it stumbled forward, the thing dropped Cordelia at its feet. Then, it turned to defend itself.  
  
"Cordy, get out of here!" Angel yelled…just as the thing drove its massive fists into his chest.  
  
The vampire fell backwards, slammed hard into the ground. But, as the thing pursued him, he rolled to his feet. And, this time, his kick found its mark.  
  
The gigantic creature flew backwards, and hit the wall with enough force to make the building shake.  
  
In the meantime, Cordelia staggered to her feet. Staying clear of the fight, she hurried towards the Dumpster.  
  
Un-phased by its trip across the alley, the creature staggered towards Angel, and started to swing at the vampire with its tree trunk arms.  
  
With speed that Grant knew would be impossible for a human, Angel managed to avoid getting hit. But he also couldn't deliver any blows of his own.  
  
"Angel!" Cordelia exclaimed. And she threw something towards him.  
  
He didn't even look, but caught whatever it was by instinct.  
  
((A sword,)) Grant realized…seconds before Angel swung the weapon in a wide, powerful arc. The blade sliced through the distance between the vampire and the…thing.  
  
The beast's severed head flew down the alley. With a wet, plopping noise, it landed uncomfortably close to the Grangers.  
  
"Oh, yuck!" Laura whispered. Grant felt her tremble against his back.  
  
It took the thing's body a moment or two to realize it was dead. The massive arms kept swinging for a full 30 seconds before the body toppled over.  
  
As one, the Grangers stepped back and away from the mouth of the alley.  
  
"Oh…my…God!" Laura gasped, taking 2 or 3 breaths to get each word out.  
  
"Hmph!" Grant grunted in agreement. Because it was all he was capable of.  
  
Pressing their backs against the wall, they struggled to catch their breaths.  
  
"Who the hell are you?"  
  
Startled, husband and wife spun around.  
  
The object of their curiosity was standing four feet away. Glaring at them.  
  
____________________  
  
  
  
"Uh oh," Laura breathed. Feeling a lot more week than she was used to, she glued herself to Grant's side. And felt much better when he grabbed her hand.  
  
"Who *are* you?" Angel demanded again. Looking fierce, he took a step forward.  
  
Laura and Grant took a step back.  
  
"Angel?" Cordelia frowned. Head tilted to one side, she studied Laura and Grant. "Aren't they that weird couple from…"  
  
"The café. Yeah. They followed us from there."  
  
"Oh, great," Cordelia sighed. She rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "Don't *tell* me they work for Wolfram & Hart."  
  
Angel studied them with narrowed eyes. "They don't *smell* like lawyers. Which makes me wonder who they *do* work for.  
  
"W-work for?" Laura stammered. "W-we don't w-work for anyone. I mean, we have jobs. Plain, old, boring nine to fivers, that's us. But if when you say 'work for', you mean did someone hire us to follow you around or something, then nope, we don't work for anyone. We're just nosy. I mean, if we see something interesting or strange or whatever, we can't leave it alone. It's like a curse. We just can't seem to…" When Grant slapped her on the back, she finally managed to shut up.  
  
Cordelia smiled at her. "Do you happen to know a girl named Fred?"  
  
Angel, on the other hand, didn't look amused. "I want answers," he said, his voice low and dark. And Laura could've sworn his dark eyes flashed yellow for a second.  
  
"Okay, just everybody calm down," Grant said, using his 'let's be reasonable' voice. "Look, I have something that will explain the whole thing." And, just like that, he loped towards the car.  
  
Laura almost gave in to the urge to run after him. But Angel didn't look all that happy as it was. And she didn't want to do anything to make him any more *not* happy.  
  
Grant returned…with the book. Opening it to the proper page, he handed it to Angel.  
  
"We saw you last night," Grant continued. "And…Laura noticed the resemblance."  
  
Laura waved, just in case they didn't know who Laura was.  
  
As Angel studied the page, his mouth set into a grim line.  
  
Cordelia looked over his shoulder. "Uh oh," she said. "Busted." She gave the Grangers a hopeful look. "I don't suppose you'd believe this was all a big coincidence."  
  
"We tried that already," Laura said.  
  
"Didn't work," Grant added.  
  
Finally, Angel looked up from the book. The intensity in his gaze was almost enough to make a person's heart stop beating all together.  
  
"What do you want?" He asked. With the air of a man who'd been in this kind of position before.  
  
Laura and Grant glanced at each other. After years of being best friends, then a few more years of being married, the two could communicate without words.  
  
As they came to the same decision, they both nodded.  
  
"We want…coffee," Grant said.  
  
Cordelia and Angel just blink for one long second.  
  
"Coffee?" Angel asked blankly.  
  
"What?" Cordelia shrieked.  
  
"It'll be our treat," Laura said. "And we'll have a chance to talk about…everything."  
  
"Yeah," Grant agreed. He waved towards the alley. "Like what the hell *that* was."  
  
Both wearing expressions of disbelief, Angel and Cordelia turned to stare at each other. After a moment of silent communication, they both shrugged.  
  
"Well, the damage is already done," Cordelia said. "I guess coffee couldn't hurt."  
  
"Yeah," Angel reluctantly agreed. "I…guess."  
  
And the two couples—one cautiously excited, the other openly suspicious—walked to their respective cars.  
  
"Hey, just a minute!" Laura said. She glared at Grant. "You promised me pizza, buster."  
  
"Oh, yeah," Grant said. He turned towards Angel and Cordelia. "You guys wouldn't mind pizza instead of coffee, would you?"  
  
Again, the two looked at each other. Again, they shrugged.  
  
"Great!" Laura grinned at them. "You haven't had pizza until you've had Gino's pizza. And we'll tell them to hold the garlic."  
  
  
  
THE END 


End file.
